Book Title: A Child Called It
Author: Dave Pelzer
Entry 1
Date: November 30, 2009
Reaction: Oh my goodness! How long was David under that condition? I would be starving!!! It must've felt so weird to him to have all those teachers "intrude" in/on his personal life even though they were just trying to help. I feel so bad for him knowing how everyone else treated him ;( It makes me want to cry. I hope I never treat anyone like the way his classmates treated him, especially without knowing the reason why they were the way they were! Oh, and it was horrible that his mother made him wear the same clothes for that long!!!! I just want to punch the living daylights out of her! How could she ever feel like she could do that?
Questions: What do you feel about how the teacher solved the problem? Do you think the went about it in the right way?
Answers:I feel the same way you do about the teacher solving the problem. I think it did go the right way.
Entry 2
Date: November 30, 2009
Reaction: I thought it was sad and interesting that it took all of David's elementary life to have the school help him and realize what he was actually going through and why he was doing the "naughty" things he was. I wonder if his mom didn't drink before and that's what caused the change in her behavior to him, but if not I don't understand how someone could feel that way about their child and only about one of their child.
Questions: I thought that his mother acted "normally" before all the abuse, what do you think? Did you see signs of her abnormal behavior?
Answers: I think she acted pretty normal myself. To me, she actually seemed like a great mother. To be honest, I really didn't see any signs of an abnormal behavior.
Entry 3
Date: November 30, 2009
Reaction: At first I didn't know what to think about how the mother was behaving and I almost wanted to blame it on his father and siblings, who apparently witnessed everything that happened in their house but was too afraid to tell anyone because of what they knew the mother could do. And, although I want to blame them, I know that is wrong, and I wonder what I would've done if I was in any of their possisions(except the mother's of course).
Questions: How did you feel when the mother started the abuse. I thought it happened really fast and harsh even though Dave thinks it didn't as much, What do you think?
Answers:I thought that it was really random that she just decided to start abusing David. It made me wonder why? I also think the same thang.
Entry 4
Date:January 2, 2010
Reaction:I can't belive that David didn't get any food. That his mother refused to feed him, and not his brothers also. Since he didn't get any food, he stole from his classmates. To be honest, I would do the same thang. I have to give it to him though, all the little tricks he did just to get a little food in his hungry stomach. The way his mother didn't call David by his name anymore, but instead she called him "The Boy".
Questions:Do you think she was just ashamed of him, that she wouldn't use his name? Why do you think she started calling him "the boy" besides David? That she didn't
Answers: It is kinda weird that she started calling him "the boy" and randomly decide to just pick on him and no one else. I know she was mentally ill, but just to pick on one like that is really weird. I wonder if he reminded her of someone she didn't really like, or maybe someone that had or huge negative impact on her life. Perhaps she saw him becoming better than she was and it made her mad. I'm not sure.
Entry 5
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction: That's so horrible. Who on earth would do this in their right mind? After stabbing their kid and then making him do his chores the next day without medical help. Obviously Davids mother. I think the best part about this chapter was that when David was hurt, and if he needed something he knew that he couldn't rely on anyone but himself. And, he wasn't affraid...he didn't want anyone in his family and I honestly think he did a great job. He never underestimated himself.
Question: Why do you think his mother stabbed him? Do you think she just got out of hand? Or do you think she did it on purpose? Maybe it was because David wouldn't look at her when she was telling him how much time he had to do his chores. What do you think?
Answers: Well, his mother didn't stab him on purpose. He just kind of fell into the knife. She was definitely out of hand!! But, to tell you the truth, I think the mom would've stab him anyway, just because she didn't even feel bad when it did happen and she threatened him that he would.
Entry 6
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction: It was so cruel of the mom to act like she cared. She truly had me convinced that she was trying to be good again. It made me think good of her and that maybe there was hope for David. But how, how, could one be so mean and cruel and evil!!!!!!!!!! I felt like punching the mom when the child services lady left and she turned right back to David and started yelling at him again. It must've been a horrible sight!
Questions: Where you convinced that the mom was being good again before you found out she was really just acting?
Answers: I really was. I knew there was some kind of trick with it though. But I was just so surprised that she would do somethang like that to her own child. But that's what I thought when she did all that other horrible stuff to David. Wow.
Entry 7
Date: January 4, 2010
Reaction:d worse and it made me feel sick to my stomach. And it makes me sad that the dad knew what was going on, but he didn't want to deal with it so he just went and drank at the bar all night long. Poor kid...how could he trust anyone? And I would run away from school and stell from the little grocery if it was life or death and my parents were starving me to death.
Questions: I know that stealing is a commandment, but I don't know if I would know any different at the age of seven and I wasn't eating...what about you, would you steal to stay alive?
Answers: If I thought that I was going to die if I didn't get any food, then yes. I would still food.
Entry 8
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction: It's so sad that he's now at a point where he thinks there is no God because of what has happened to him (I'm at Chapter 7). I know there is a God, and I firmly believe in him, but I also know that it would be hard to deal with the fact that someone would let something bad like that happen. He's not the only one that has gone through something horrible like that, and I'm glad he had to go through with it and not me...not to sound mean, but I think it may have happened to him because he could deal with it in a better way then others would have. And I'm sure he didn't realize it then, but hopefully he does now.
Questions: Do you think the same as me, or am I just crazy?
Answers: I think so too. Because he is showing many people what some people really go through. Some people think that their lives stick. But if they look at this one for an example, then they would know that there will be a great outcome. I think that it did happen to him so he could show other people what his life was really about.
Entry 9
Date:January 7, 2010
Reaction:There goes his promise. I can't believe that Stephen (Davids father), would leave his whole family. Espeically his son that doesn't get any food or respect, and I can't believe he would break his promise to David. Why couldn't Stephen take David along?This chapter is very sad. The way David says that he doesn't believe in God anymore. And how he says that he wants to die. Honestly, who would want to live a life like his? All David wants is to die, he tries getting his mother very upset towards him. So she could kill him. When his father left, he felt like he had nothing left. Nothing to hold on to.
Questions:
Answers: I totally agree that he thought he had nothing to hold on to because that's what his dreams were, or at least his most realistic dreams. But, if the dad couldn't take care of himself, I don't know if David should've gone with...the dad still could've help though, especially if he knew he was already leaving!
Entry 10
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction: Oh man, I loved the ending! It could've been better, but it felt amazing to have David safe; away from his mom, his house, all those bad memories. And I could almost feel like I was standing next to him on the shore when he described the view and how he felt. I almost wanted to cry becuase I was so happy and relieved for him to finally be saved. It's so amazing how well he took what happened to him. I'm sure it wasn't easy...in fact, I know it wasn't easy.
Questions: What did you think about how he talked about the gravel road and the Toyota? I thought it was really cool and strange at the same time.
Answers: Yeah, I'll have to agree with you on that. I mean, it was a pretty good ending. But I don't know, they way he described how he went to the house with his son, was a little weird.
READING LOG - Paige & Hana
Book Title: A Child Called ItAuthor: Dave Pelzer
Entry 1
Date: November 30, 2009
Reaction: Oh my goodness! How long was David under that condition? I would be starving!!! It must've felt so weird to him to have all those teachers "intrude" in/on his personal life even though they were just trying to help. I feel so bad for him knowing how everyone else treated him ;( It makes me want to cry. I hope I never treat anyone like the way his classmates treated him, especially without knowing the reason why they were the way they were! Oh, and it was horrible that his mother made him wear the same clothes for that long!!!! I just want to punch the living daylights out of her! How could she ever feel like she could do that?
Questions: What do you feel about how the teacher solved the problem? Do you think the went about it in the right way?
Answers:I feel the same way you do about the teacher solving the problem. I think it did go the right way.
Entry 2
Date: November 30, 2009
Reaction: I thought it was sad and interesting that it took all of David's elementary life to have the school help him and realize what he was actually going through and why he was doing the "naughty" things he was. I wonder if his mom didn't drink before and that's what caused the change in her behavior to him, but if not I don't understand how someone could feel that way about their child and only about one of their child.
Questions: I thought that his mother acted "normally" before all the abuse, what do you think? Did you see signs of her abnormal behavior?
Answers: I think she acted pretty normal myself. To me, she actually seemed like a great mother. To be honest, I really didn't see any signs of an abnormal behavior.
Entry 3
Date: November 30, 2009
Reaction: At first I didn't know what to think about how the mother was behaving and I almost wanted to blame it on his father and siblings, who apparently witnessed everything that happened in their house but was too afraid to tell anyone because of what they knew the mother could do. And, although I want to blame them, I know that is wrong, and I wonder what I would've done if I was in any of their possisions(except the mother's of course).
Questions: How did you feel when the mother started the abuse. I thought it happened really fast and harsh even though Dave thinks it didn't as much, What do you think?
Answers:I thought that it was really random that she just decided to start abusing David. It made me wonder why? I also think the same thang.
Entry 4
Date:January 2, 2010
Reaction:I can't belive that David didn't get any food. That his mother refused to feed him, and not his brothers also. Since he didn't get any food, he stole from his classmates. To be honest, I would do the same thang. I have to give it to him though, all the little tricks he did just to get a little food in his hungry stomach. The way his mother didn't call David by his name anymore, but instead she called him "The Boy".
Questions:Do you think she was just ashamed of him, that she wouldn't use his name? Why do you think she started calling him "the boy" besides David? That she didn't
Answers: It is kinda weird that she started calling him "the boy" and randomly decide to just pick on him and no one else. I know she was mentally ill, but just to pick on one like that is really weird. I wonder if he reminded her of someone she didn't really like, or maybe someone that had or huge negative impact on her life. Perhaps she saw him becoming better than she was and it made her mad. I'm not sure.
Entry 5
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction:
That's so horrible. Who on earth would do this in their right mind? After stabbing their kid and then making him do his chores the next day without medical help. Obviously Davids mother. I think the best part about this chapter was that when David was hurt, and if he needed something he knew that he couldn't rely on anyone but himself. And, he wasn't affraid...he didn't want anyone in his family and I honestly think he did a great job. He never underestimated himself.
Question: Why do you think his mother stabbed him? Do you think she just got out of hand? Or do you think she did it on purpose? Maybe it was because David wouldn't look at her when she was telling him how much time he had to do his chores. What do you think?
Answers: Well, his mother didn't stab him on purpose. He just kind of fell into the knife. She was definitely out of hand!! But, to tell you the truth, I think the mom would've stab him anyway, just because she didn't even feel bad when it did happen and she threatened him that he would.
Entry 6
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction: It was so cruel of the mom to act like she cared. She truly had me convinced that she was trying to be good again. It made me think good of her and that maybe there was hope for David. But how, how, could one be so mean and cruel and evil!!!!!!!!!! I felt like punching the mom when the child services lady left and she turned right back to David and started yelling at him again. It must've been a horrible sight!
Questions: Where you convinced that the mom was being good again before you found out she was really just acting?
Answers: I really was. I knew there was some kind of trick with it though. But I was just so surprised that she would do somethang like that to her own child. But that's what I thought when she did all that other horrible stuff to David. Wow.
Entry 7
Date: January 4, 2010
Reaction:d worse and it made me feel sick to my stomach. And it makes me sad that the dad knew what was going on, but he didn't want to deal with it so he just went and drank at the bar all night long. Poor kid...how could he trust anyone? And I would run away from school and stell from the little grocery if it was life or death and my parents were starving me to death.
Questions: I know that stealing is a commandment, but I don't know if I would know any different at the age of seven and I wasn't eating...what about you, would you steal to stay alive?
Answers: If I thought that I was going to die if I didn't get any food, then yes. I would still food.
Entry 8
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction: It's so sad that he's now at a point where he thinks there is no God because of what has happened to him (I'm at Chapter 7). I know there is a God, and I firmly believe in him, but I also know that it would be hard to deal with the fact that someone would let something bad like that happen. He's not the only one that has gone through something horrible like that, and I'm glad he had to go through with it and not me...not to sound mean, but I think it may have happened to him because he could deal with it in a better way then others would have. And I'm sure he didn't realize it then, but hopefully he does now.
Questions: Do you think the same as me, or am I just crazy?
Answers: I think so too. Because he is showing many people what some people really go through. Some people think that their lives stick. But if they look at this one for an example, then they would know that there will be a great outcome. I think that it did happen to him so he could show other people what his life was really about.
Entry 9
Date:January 7, 2010
Reaction:There goes his promise. I can't believe that Stephen (Davids father), would leave his whole family. Espeically his son that doesn't get any food or respect, and I can't believe he would break his promise to David. Why couldn't Stephen take David along? This chapter is very sad. The way David says that he doesn't believe in God anymore. And how he says that he wants to die. Honestly, who would want to live a life like his? All David wants is to die, he tries getting his mother very upset towards him. So she could kill him. When his father left, he felt like he had nothing left. Nothing to hold on to.
Questions:
Answers: I totally agree that he thought he had nothing to hold on to because that's what his dreams were, or at least his most realistic dreams. But, if the dad couldn't take care of himself, I don't know if David should've gone with...the dad still could've help though, especially if he knew he was already leaving!
Entry 10
Date: January 7, 2010
Reaction: Oh man, I loved the ending! It could've been better, but it felt amazing to have David safe; away from his mom, his house, all those bad memories. And I could almost feel like I was standing next to him on the shore when he described the view and how he felt. I almost wanted to cry becuase I was so happy and relieved for him to finally be saved. It's so amazing how well he took what happened to him. I'm sure it wasn't easy...in fact, I know it wasn't easy.
Questions: What did you think about how he talked about the gravel road and the Toyota? I thought it was really cool and strange at the same time.
Answers: Yeah, I'll have to agree with you on that. I mean, it was a pretty good ending. But I don't know, they way he described how he went to the house with his son, was a little weird.